Who said marriage was EASY
by Kitten The Kokeshi Doll
Summary: LONG AWAITED SEQUEL TO DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH!
1. Nowadays

A/n: Sequal to Diamond In The Rough. IN MEMORY OF MY FRIEND AKIANA. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH RIP.

Summary: Chase and Zoey are seperated. Diamond and Logan are on the rocks. The kids, now teenagers, are fighting to keep everyone happy.

Chapter 1:

Midnight-Melody had always been the girly one. Strutting up the red carpet she blew kisses, flicked her hair and span. Her identical twin sister, Angel-Harmony walked close behind. The cameras flashed and Midnight-Melody showed off. She twirled. Angel-Harmony however was quiet as a mouse. She smiled for the flashes but didn't revel in the attention. The two were mini superstars. And where as Midnight-Melody, giggling her head off, loved it. Angel-Harmony couldn't have cared any less. The pair's mutual friend, Dylan Matthews was not a celebrity, and he seemed perfectly happy. Sometimes Angel-Harmony wished she could've been Dylan's sister and not a relative of the Clarke's.

Diamond Clarke blew her audience a kiss and laid her head on her husbands shoulder. He smiled and gave a wave and lead her in. Angel-Harmony loved events like like. The twins rarely got to spend time with their mother. Diamond Clarke was a huge celebrity and the twins lived with their father most of the time while Diamond disappeared on tours. She could sometimes be gone for months on end. Midnight-Melody was smarter than her twin and knew that things between the parents were rough. Where as they smiled and kissed in public, the two barely talked. When Diamond showed up after a wild excursion the two would sometimes disappear to their room for hours. As Midnight-Melody so crudely put it  
"There's a big difference between sex and love."

* * *

Dylan Matthews was 13. Normally when he was upset, he'd call his best friend Angel, but she was at a movie premiere of her mom's. It sucked. His parents were in the kitchen at the coffee table, discussing things. His dad had shown up with the divorce papers. Whereas Zoey and Chase hadn't lived together for over a year, divorce seemed too final. Dylan wished it could all stay the same. 

"We're doing the right thing, right Zo?" Chase asked, pushing his hair back.  
"Course." Zoey said reaching for a pen. She scrawled a loopy 'Zoey' and then hesitated. "Wait, do I sign it Brooks or Matthews?"  
"I guess Brooks." He shrugged. "Wait, under 'reason' what do I put? Mutual agreement?" Filling out forms was not his strong point.  
"Mutual agreement?" Zoey laughed bitterly. "I hardly call you sleeping around mutual agreement!"  
"THAT WAS ONE TIME LIKE 18 MONTHS AGO!" He complained.  
"WHILE WE WERE MARRIED!" She howled.  
"AND I TOLD YOU IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

Dyland tried to ignore the yelling and turned the volume on his portable CD player up. Mom had gotten him it two christmasses ago, the first christmas after dad left. Since then Zoey had had to work very hard to manage to support herself, and Dylan lived between homes. He tended to live with his mom for two weeks and his dad for two weeks.  
"BECAUSE OH YEAH YOU JUST MATERIALISED IN HER BED AND THOUGHT SHE WAS ME!"  
"SHUT UP!" He yelled. She burst into tears."I'M NOT ARGUING WITH YOU ANYMORE!"  
"Look at us Chase." She said tearfully.  
"I know." He sighed softly. "Thought we'd last forever." Zoey gave a sad nod, then handed him the pen. He etched 'Chase Matthews' underneath her name. And in the 'reason' box he marked 'infidelity'. He folded the papers in half and put them in the envelope. He sealed it. She stood up and wiped her eyes giving her 'husband' a hug.

Despite being seperated the two had remained civil to one another. Chase hugged her softly, rubbing her back. They often had huge rows, but they usually remained civil, for Dylan's sake. Letting her go he turned away and crossed into the living room. He ruffled his sons hair.  
"Pick you up at 6 tomorrow yeah." Dylan didn't take his headphones off and just glared at his father. Chase sighed. Zoey wrung her hands.  
"Dylan say goodbye to your father." She said. Dylan glared at his mother aswell. Zoey gave a hefty sigh. "Chase you'd better go."  
"Yeah." He nodded. "Bye you two." He left and Zoey bit her lip.  
"Dylan?" She asked cautiously. Dylan looked up at his mom and tried not to cry. She sank down beside him on the sofa and wrapped her arms around him.  
"It's over." He said. Zoey nodded.  
"Over."

* * *

Midnight laughed and threw herself onto the couch. Angel's phone rang.  
"Hey Dyl... calm down, ok shh." She disappeared into the next room, talking on the phone. Midnight was bored. Their parents had disappeared upstairs, and there was nothing good on TV. She had changed out of her very expensive dress and into her black silk PJ's. They went well with her black hair and dark eyes. It was their thing, that Midnight wore black and Angel wore white. She tapped her foot on the carpet.  
"Yo Dana. When you're ready. Hot cocoa." The girls had a personal maid. A relaxed young spanish woman who looked aged beyond her years. She sighed and headed into the kitchen. Midnight could be very bossy. 

"Hold on Dyl." Angel said covering the phone."You don't have to do everything for her."  
"I like to." Dana said with a smile. She loved working for the Clarke's. Even though Midnight bossed her around a lot, she was generally a nice kid. Angel was lovely. Diamond was nice when she was around and Logan was fun, if a little too flirty some nights.  
"If you say so." Angel went back to her phone conversation.

"Dyl babe don't cry." She reassured. Dylan was a little over a year younger than them and they were close enough to be siblings, he was the baby. His mother and father usually babied him and Midnight and Dana babied him when he came over. Angel treated him however, like an equal. He loved that about her.  
"Why're they doing this to me!" He demanded. "They're awful! I hate them!" He cried.  
"Chillax Dyl. Look. They love you. And you love them they just... they don't love each other."  
"They should. I see it in their eyes Angel. He's so sorry for what he did and mom won't listen."  
"He hurt her Dyl!"  
"He never touched her!" Dyl screeched misunderstanding.  
"No babe. I mean when he slept with Lacy." Lacy wasn't the girl's real name, it was a nickname, because she always wore lacy underwear and it was always on show.

"I hate her." Dylan sniffed.  
"Who... Lacy or your mom?"  
"Both of them." He muttered. "She oughta forgive him."  
"Would you? Dylan. Your mom gave her heart to your dad. My dad says he was her first. She gave him her heart, her virginity, and she helped him raise a wonderful kid... and he spat it in her face. He had a beautiful wife at home, and he slept with the neighbourhood slut, who was underage. I'm with your mom on this one. If they can divorce and stay friends."  
"I don't want them to be friends. I want my dad to move back in with us. I want them to cuddle on the couch while she squeaks at the scary bits in your mom's movies." Dana placed a hot chocolate infront of Angel who smiled broadly and hugged the maid.

"Listen. My parents are as screwed up as yours. They just stay together for publicity..." She paused. "And the sex. Midnight thinks I don't understand that but I do. You should be thankful that they're friends."  
"Angel?" Dylan asked eventually, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Thanks."  
"Course. Love ya babe." It was the way the two had grown up speaking. The twins always kissed strangers and said the L word and the B word.  
"You too. Night."  
"Night." Angel hung up her silver cell phone and sipped her hot chocolate. She did feel sorry for Dylan.

* * *

Chase sighed.  
"Sure I can't change his mind?"  
"He won't leave his room." Zoey said sadly. "I'd pay for his ticket but... we're a bit..." She felt awkward admitting to Chase that she and her son were broke.  
"Ugh. What're we doing Zo!" He growled. "We're warping him."  
"We are not!" She snapped. "look, divorce is hard on kids ok. He'll get over it."  
"We're asking him to choose."  
"We are not!"  
"We are too! And what about next year huh? When he's at high school. The nearest school's ages away from me! How'm I supposed to get access?" He demanded.  
"OH FOR GOODNESS SAKES! YOU THINK HE LIKES ME BETTER THAN YOU! HE DOESN'T EVEN TALK TO ME!" She screamed. "HE BLAMES ME FOR WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOU AND YOUR FLOOZY."  
"FOR THE LAST FREAKIN TIME! IT WAS ONE TIME!" Chase was very mad.  
"WHILE WE WERE MARRIED!" She howled. It was the automatic response. 

"YOU KNOW SOMETHING I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS!" He roared.  
"TOO RIGHT THIS IS MY HOUSE GET LOST!"  
"NOT WITHOUT DYLAN!"  
"IT'S NOT EVEN YOUR TURN!" Zoey cried. Dylan had been going to the game with him as a treat. "AND IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO GO YOU CAN'T FORCE HIM."  
"YOU'RE TURNING THAT KID AGAINST ME ZO!"  
"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP!" Dylan yelled.

"All I ever wanted Chase, was to stay with you. You ruined that. And I'm trying to raise our kid as best I can without screwing him up. You're NOT making this easy."  
"And I wanted to stay with you."  
"THEN WHY WERE YOU SCREWING LACY!"  
"It was a one time thing!"  
"While we were married."  
"Play a new song would ya! Zoey I apologised to you."  
"Apology doesn't make it better." She muttered  
"I came to you on my knees Brooks. I begged for forgiveness." Zoey cringed at the memory. "How sorry do I have to be!"  
"I can't forgive you Chase. She was 15."  
"And if she'd been 27 it'd have been the exact same story Zo. So don't use age as an excuse."

"Look. Dylan's not coming. I don't want to talk to you. Please leave."  
"Fine!" Chase stepped to Zoey. He pushed her lightly against the wall, very careful not to hurt her.  
"I STILL love you Zo. Even after all the crap you've pulled."  
"I pulled!" She screamed in his face.  
"Yeah. And if you ever decide to accept my apology, and let me near my kid when I want... I'm right here." he kissed her quite deeply and forcefully. She cried out in anguish. She hated it when he did that.  
"Just go." He let her go.  
"Fine, whatever!" He left, slamming the door. Zoey sank down the wall and pulled her knees up to her chest. Dylan bounded down the stairs. He kissed his mom's forehead.  
"I'll be back tomorrow morning mom." He promised. he grabbed his jacket. "Hey dad wait up!"

"Your mom said you weren't coming." Chase said sliding a stick of gum into his mouth.  
"I changed my mind...I can't stand it there." He sighed. Chase raised his eyebrows quizzically at his son.  
"You wanna come live with me?"  
"I only hate it when she cries." he said quickly, not wanting to show favouritism. Chase sighed.  
"You understand I love her very much right?"  
"Yeah." Dylan nodded and looked up at his dad. "So... why DID you sleep with Lacy? If you love mom so much?"  
"I... I dunno. I barely even remember it." he sighed. "Some kid, flaunting her stuff... she kissed me and... I pushed her off but... she... I dunno. Somehow I ended up in bed with her. Stuff happens." Chase sighed again. "I shouldn't be talking about this with you. You're too young."

"Dad I know what sex is." He grumbled.  
"Yeah well..." Chase bit his lip. "You remember that night right?"  
"Yeah. I remember you both cried a lot."

* * *

Chase felt sick with himself. He pushed open his front door. His head was spinning. The clock struck ten as he walked into the living room.  
"Hey." Zoey said smiling broadly at him. Their son curled on the carpet doing his homework. (Having, as most preteens do, left his homework til the very last second) She stood up and crossed to him. She kissed him softly and played with his hair absently. "What's wrong?" She questioned. Dylan looked up.  
"Zo... I love you." He said, wrapping his arms around her, cuddling her close. Dylan rolled his eyes. He hated the mushy stuff. Zoey felt something wrong though.  
"Chase... You're scaring me. What's wrong?" She asked again. Positively shaking.  
"Zoey... I've done something SO awful."  
"Oh god..." Zoey said terrified. "Dylan go to bed."  
"But mom..."  
"Go to bed." Chase ordered. Dylan stood and disappeared into the corridor. His parents NEVER fought. He spied on them around the door. 

"Chase?" She questioned in confusion.  
"Zo... sit down?" Shaking, Zoey took her seat. He bent on the floor infront of her, on both knees. He took her hands and kissed them.  
"Chase tell me..." She asked nervously.  
"Know that I love you and it was an accident and..." He was gabbling. he broke off and kissed his wife very softly before resuming the kneeling position.  
"Oh god Chase what've you done?" She cried.  
"I... Zoey I..."  
"Did you run over Lance?" Lance was their beautiful tomcat who adored Zoey to pieces. "Because I'll forgive you Chase..."  
"No Zoey you won't forgive me for this..."  
"Did you run over a person?" She questioned fearfully. He shook his head, barely able to find the words. "You killed someone?" She asked worriedly. He shook his head again.

"Then what?" She asked her voice quavering.  
"I slept with someone else." He breathed. Zoey's crying and shaking stopped. She looked almost relaxed but he could tell she was hurt. "Baby I never EVER meant to hurt you it was an accident it won't happen again..." her eyes were hollow and stared straight ahead.  
"Who is she?" Zoey asked softly, not looking her husband in the eye.  
"Does it matter?" He asked in slight distress.  
"Who?" She asked again.  
"Nobody." He dismissed it trying to veer her back on subject.  
"Well she's obviously somebody. What's her name?" Chase thought hard. She didn't even seem to have a real name.  
"I don't know it." He whispered.  
"That's nice." She said calmly. "Throw away our marriage on some floozy without a name."

"No. No Zoey please. I haven't thrown it away please. Forgive me." He begged clutching at her hands and laying his head in her lap unashamed to cry. "I love you. Lacy meant nothing."  
"I thought you said you didn't know her name." She said snatching her hands away.  
"Lacy's not her real name." He said dejectedly staring at his wife. "I love you SOOO much and I'm an idiot."  
"Wait... Lacy... down the street Lacy?" Zoey asked putting two and two together. Chase nodded. "SHE'S LIKE ELEVEN!" Zoey screeched looking at her husband thoroughly sickened.  
"She's 15." he muttered knowing that didn't make it much better.  
"SHE'S UNDERAGE!" Zoey wailed. "SHE'S ONLY A LITTLE OLDER THAN DYLAN! Oh god Chase Oh GOD!" The tears came now, thick and fast. "Get out."  
"No Zoey please. ANYTHING." He pleaded with her. "Anything but that. I'll never EVER do it again. I love you."  
"I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU RIGHT NOW!" She howled.  
"Right now?" He asked almost hopefully."In a few days maybe?" He begged.

"Just leave." She whispered. He sighed.  
"I'll come back in a few days." He suggested.  
"No. You won't. I never wanna see you again." She choked on her words.  
"I'll need to see Dylan. And pick up my clothes and stuff." He said unable to believe this.  
"Fine, see you on Monday." He nodded. He straightened up a little and kissed her lovingly.  
"I love you." She let out a cry of anguish, unable to picture her husbands lips on another girls body. Lest of all an underage girl. "So much. I never meant to hurt you." And with that he left.

"You leaving dad?"  
"I thought we told you to go to bed." Chase said distractedly, confused at seeing his son in the hall.  
"You did. Are you leaving?"  
"Yeah. Hopefully just for a little while." He ruffled his son's hair. Dylan was not impressed and hurried in to comfort his distraught mother.

* * *

"Yeah we both cried a lot." Chase agreed sadly. "I didn't want to leave."  
"She didn't WANT you to leave. She said she did but.. I still see it in her eyes now. She looks at your chair or your side of the bed and suddenly starts crying."  
"I know." He said. "I've seen her too. When she thinks I'm not watching or listening she'll look at me or say the L word. But I hurt her too bad Dyl. She can never forgive it."  
"Well... she should." Dylan said sourly.

* * *

"Hey Gorgeous." She cooed removing her coat. "The kids in bed?" Logan looked at his wife with the mischeivous glint in her eyes.  
"Yes..." He said. She stepped to him and kissed him deeply moaning softly into his mouth she stroked his hair gently. He smiled softly at her. "I miss you." He said kissing her again.  
"Take this upstairs?" Diamond suggested.  
"Are we doing the right thing?" He asked worriedly. "Not telling the girls?"  
"I'm only in town for a few hours they're in bed and I'll be gone before they wake up." She whined. "I wanna spend some quality time with my husband." Logan didn't care to point out that a few hours in the bedroom hardly classed as 'quality time'. He picked her up bridal style at which she giggled and he carried her up the stairs. 

"I feel bad for Dyl." Angel said, sat up beside her sister in bed. There were hundreds of rooms in the house, but the two prefered to share a room and on nights if one was upset they often stayed up in the same bed having a gossip.  
"He oughta suck it up and get over it. They split up ages ago."  
"But it's all coming to a..." The noises from their parents room interupted them. Both girls cringed.  
"You think mom could be ANY louder." Midnight asked sounding disgusted.  
"I can't believe she didn't tell us she was coming home." Angel said sounding disappointed in her mother.

The two tried to continue their conversation but the noises from next door were becoming unbearably loud.  
"They're gonna warp us." Midnight seethed. "Teenage girls should NOT have to hear their parents doing... it." She shuddered. Angel sighed and was about to knock on the adjoining wall when they both heard their dad yell something that made their blood run cold. Instead of shouting their mothers name in a moment of passion he unmistakably called the name of their maid.  
"Dana!"

A/n: Uh oh. Logan's having an affair with the maid? Well... he's not but... hehe. Nobody ever told the twins.Poor Zoey. For the record Chase isn't perverted. Lacy was 15 Chase was 27. I know it's bad but it's not THAT bad. Plus he was provoked (You find out later)  
RIP AKIANA


	2. The backstory

**A/n: Hehe I am so evil. stay tuned for updates of silence too.**

Chapter 2:

"Maybe you misheard?" Dylan suggested. The three of them were sat in his room, the twins having been warped from last nights events had avoided their father and maid and positively ran to their friends house at the break of dawn.  
"Dyl, my dad's got no volume... or repetition control." Midnight said dejectedly. "He's DEFINITELY bonking our maid."  
"Mom's gonna be heart broken." Angel said sadly. Dylan looked thoughtful for a few moments.  
"Maybe she already knows." The twins looked at him strangely. "I mean it is only a sham right... you said yourself they only stay together for publicity... and sex...maybe they're both doing the dirty on each other. I mean you hardly ever see your mom you don't know what she's up to." Angel burst into tears, upset at the thought.

Dylan like his dad was not good with dealing with crying girls, but he wrapped his arms around her awkwardly and turned to her sister.  
"YOU ok Midnight?" He questioned.  
"Fine, fine." She said distractedly, playing with a loose thread in his comforter.  
"Makes you wonder though." He said eventually.  
"About?" Angel said, her head laid on his chest.  
"IT." He stressed the word, blushing furiously. "IT with Lacy was enough to split up my parents even though they loved each other and IT with your parents is enough to keep them together, even thought they don't."  
"S'weird." Angel said, still talking into his chest, seeking comfort in her friends embrace.  
"We'll have to try it some day." He teased them.  
"You're still clean by the time you're 16." Midnight bargained. "I'll take you for a spin." She then looked at her twin. "Angel too." She giggled. "Two for one. Sound good to you?" before he could reply Angel leapt up.  
"YOU TWO ARE HORRID!" She wailed. She fled from the room nearly crashing into Zoey on her way in.

* * *

Dana was bewildered. The twins had always been so nice to her... well Angel had at any rate. Today as she served dinner she felt the coldness, the tension in the air. She always ate her dinner seperately to the family, in the living room watching her soaps. During the meal whilst Dana was out watching her soaps Angel surprised both her father and her sister by acting as spoilt and as bossy as her twin.  
"Daddy." She said in her sweetest voice.  
"What sweetheart?"  
"I want Dana fired." Logan looked shocked at how calmly his daughter had said that.  
"Me too." Midnight chipped in, backing her sister's argument up. 

"Why? I... wow... I expect this off Midnight but..." He broke off and stared at Angel for a very long time knowing she must have a very good reason. "You SURE?"  
"She's horrid Daddy." Angel said sadly, upset that Dana had wrecked her illusion that her parents did on some level love one another.  
"She's GOTTA go." Midnight agreed. Logan was reluctant, but on his daughter's insistence headed into the living room. Moments later the noise started,

"Mister Reese!" Dana cried in shock. "Why! I looked after them since they're babies!"  
"Look I'm sorry I just... oh don't cry." He pleaded. He too was very fond of the maid. "C'mere Dana." he hugged her gently.  
"Why?"  
"That's what I want to know. But the girls just gave me orders." Midnight and Angel were unhappy seeing their father hug the woman he'd been screwing.  
"Daddy NOW!" Angel said nastily.  
"Angel! As she lives here I have to sort out her accomodation and stuff. AND the unfair dismissal fee."  
"Forget it!" Dana said pushing him away. "Your daughters are SPOILED BRATS!" She screamed. "THEY ARE SO UNGRATEFUL AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO SPEND MINUTE ONE MORE IN THIS HOUSE OF DAMN!" Her grammar and sentence structure were failing her and she began ranting and raving in Spanish hurriedly. She then stormed out and left.

"She's right you know." Logan said for once in his life turning stern on his girls. "You two ARE spoiled. There was no call for that. At all!" He seethed.  
"Daddy." Angel said slowly. "I love you."She hurried up to him and threw her arms around his waist in a hug. "When is mom coming home?" She breathed. He was taken aback by her tears.  
"Shh, baby. She'll be home soon. We can call her tonight if you like." He kissed the top of her hair. Midnight looked at her distastefully. "You want a cuddle too?" He asked. His moody daughter stomped her foot.  
"ANGEL YOU TRAITOR!" She wailed, running off upstairs. Angel continued to sob into her fathers shirt.

* * *

"BUT YOU DID IT LAST YEAR!" Chase cried.  
"COZ YOU JUST WALKED OUT ON ME!" Zoey hissed, straightening her apron.  
"WALKED OUT EXCUSE ME I WAS THROWN OUT!"  
"YOU WERE SLEEPING WITH THE GIRL DOWN THE STREET!" Zoey wailed. Dylan sighed angrily. He grabbed the pots his mother had been going to use and clanged them together for about 20 seconds til both his parents looked up.  
"What Dylan?"  
"STOP arguing!" he begged. "Why're we fighting."  
"I won't get to see you on your birthday." Chase told his son. "Because your mother won't let me host your party."  
"YOU LIVE MILES AWAY!" She screeched. "It'd take forever for him to get there unless he spent the night and no way is he doing that because it's my time."  
"MOM SHH!" Dylan warned. "Can't dad stay here that night? And you can BOTH host the party?" Since they had split up it was a constant competition for them to buy him over, it got incredibly annoying.Zoey sighed.  
"If he wants to he can."  
"Fine then I will. Listen scout I gotta go." He bent down and kissed his son on the head. "I'll see you friday night then for your party."  
"See ya then dad." 

Chase paused for a very long time. "See you Zo?" He suggested. She nodded curtly and went back to her baking.  
"Mom I wish you wouldn't be so hard on him."  
"Maybe you'll understand when you're older." Zoey said dismissively. Dylan was sick of everyone always telling him that. He wished he could hurry up and be older already.

* * *

Dylan was ready for bed when his dad finally arrived.  
"You're late." Zoey said icily. Chase nodded.  
"Sorry uh... my train and uh... yeah." He scratched his head. "I am. I'm late. Sorry."  
"Can you guys do me a favour?" Dylan questioned. "Please don't fight. It's my birthday... I just don't want the hassle."  
"Ok." Zoey said. "I won't fight with him. Even if he is an insuffereable moron."  
"Even if she DOES hold a grudge for an eternity, I won't cause trouble ok." He promised him. Dylan smirked.  
"Ok. Anyway I gotta go to sleep. Big day tomorrow. See ya then." He ran off upstairs. Chase smiled gently staring after him. 

"Hey, well I'm gonna call it a night too." Zoey said standing up, having not spent real time alone with Chase since they had split up she didn't wish to start now. He looked at her sadly. She kicked the couch which was falling to pieces. "It oughta fold out... or snap in two." She shrugged.  
"Thanks for lating me stay tonight Zo."  
"He's my son. I'd do anything to make him happy... even if it means me being unhappy." Chase nodded silently in understanding. She sighed heftily and headed towards the stairs.  
"Zoey..." He called her back. She turned. "You're still as beautiful as the day I married you." He said, biting his lip. "Incase you were worried." She looked herself up and down, she could not look more scruffy.  
"Thanks." She said. "Goodnight." He nodded and she left.

He pulled out the couch and flattened it. It was in an appalling state as was most of her furniture, but she refused to accept money from him, whereas Dylan didn't. But whenever he gave Dylan money Zoey accused him of competing with her. He couldn't win. He pulled off his sweater and jeans and lay down in his T shirt and jeans into a restless sleep.

It was 2am when he woke up. He could hear her upstairs crying. For a long time he lay in utter silence, her sobs driving him crazy, it was 2:25 when he had finally had enough. He stood up and crept upstairs. He hovered outside their bedroom dor for a moment, making sure the crying was coming from there. He knocked gently.  
"Hello?" She asked from the other side of the door. He opened it gently and went in.  
"You ok?" He asked softly. She raised her head and wiped her eyes.  
"Where were we exactly 14 years ago?" Chase looked at the clock.  
"You'd just gone into labour and we were waiting for the taxi." He said eventually.She nodded and burst into tears again. "I... I'm not sure I get it Zo... why're you crying?"  
"Fourteen Chase! My baby boy... OUR baby boy. He's 14." She sobbed. He edged nervously closer.  
"He has to grow up sometime Zo." He said reasonably. She shook her head violently, splaying her hair everywhere, causing it to stick to her tear tracks.  
"No. I want him to be thirteen forever." Shesaid solemnly. "On his fourteeth birthday I was supposed to get pregnant... I had it all planned. A baby girl." She nodded. "Little sister. And when she was five another one... a girl." She nodded.

"When did you plan this?" He questioned, still loitering awkwardly.  
"When Dylan was three." She confessed biting her lip. "But it's never gonna happen. I'm gonna be this boring, vir gin mom forever aren't I?" It surprised him slightly that she hadn't been with anyone since they had split up.  
"No. Look Zo...so the time-frame's a LITTLE sketchy." He shrugged. "You're... I HATE to say this seriously it's tearing me up inside but... you're gonna find an awesome guy... he's gonna be your next babies dad and you're gonna get married and be happy ever after Zo... I know it." He said sadly. Zoey sniffled. "C'mon." He begged her. "Stop crying. Please. I hate it when you cry."  
"I know you do I just... I keep worrying. The only guy I ever loved turned out to be a humongous jerk." She sighed  
"I wish you wouldn't talk about me like I'm someone else." He sighed in mimicry.  
"Sorry." She muttered,beckoning him."Come sit."  
"Uhm... are you sure? Here of all places?" She looked at him curiously. "My side of the bed."  
"Oh." She realised it was indeed his side of the bed. "It doesn't matter." She said decisively. She pulled back the covers and offered him a seat. He did as told.

"Feels kinda weird... us late nighting again." He said slowly. She nodded in agreement.  
"You really think I'll find someone else?" She asked hopefully.Chase nodded, then Zoey surprised him. She slipped her arms around his waist and lay her head on his chest. "Thank you." She whispered. Hewrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back comfortingly. It was the first time since they had actually broken up that they had talked without mentioning the affair. For a long time she nuzzled her head into his shirt, and it wasn't until five minutes after she stopped that Chase realised she was asleep. He looked at her, sleeping in his arms and he longed for the word 'ex' to be stricken from the dictionary.Then she would still be his wife.

He knew he oughta let her go, lay her down tuck her in and go back to the sofa, but he too was tired. He felt content with Zoey wrapped safely in his arms, and at home half-laid on his side of the bed. Pulling the covers up around them he arranged it so they were both lying down. One last night with Zoey Ma...Brooks. 'Brooks' he thought sadly. He leaned down and kissed her temple to which she responded with a gentle 'Mmm' noise, before laying down beside her.  
"Night Zo. I love you." But she did not respond to that.

* * *

When Zoey awoke in his arms her first thoughts were good ones. How great it felt to have him so close again she could hear his heartbeat, how warm she felt laid against his chest, to feel his breath lightly against her hair. She wanted this again. A huge part of her wanted it. To wake up with him every morning for the rest of her life like she had sworn to him she would... then the other feelings started to kick in. She pictured him waking up (despite not having slept the night) with lacy in his arms. She pictured that breath against her neck, his chest against hers and she felt sick. She pushed out of his grasp, waking him up.  
"Mm.." He mumbled groggily. "Morning."  
"Morning yourself." She muttered. He looked at her, then at himself.  
"We didn't... did we... are we..." questioned raced through his mind wondering what could have happened between he and his ex wife the night before.  
"We didn't." She whispered, almost sadly. "And we're not." She meant back together, as had he.  
"Oh... Ok. I remember I remember. Sorry I was really tired and I didn't wanna wake you." He said biting his lip. She looked him up and down.He had never in their entire relationship lied to her... well other than the fact he'd promised to be faithful forever. She didn't distrust him now. 

"You and I should probably talk." She said eventually.  
"About?"  
"Dylan going to school." It had caused many arguments between them. If he went to the one closest to Chase he'd be MILES away from Zoey, but if he went to the one Zoey wanted him to go to then Chase would never get to see him. It was a lose lose situation. "Me and you HAVE to stop fighting it's driving him crazy..." She chewed her lip and looked ready to cry.  
"I don't mean to stat fights." He said hurriedly. "But sometimes you get me mad."  
"Oh like you don't get me mad!" She snapped. He knew he'd upset her again. She sighed and stood up heading to her pathetic excuse for a wardrobe. It wasn't that Chase was rich, just that Zoey had the suckiest job in the world and used it to pay for both her and support her son. She opened it and sighed.  
"Want me to leave?" He queried.  
"No. I want you to pick me out something to wear." She said decisively. Way back when she used to let Chase pick her clothes, so she could look special. Chase didn't argue, just stood up and walked behind her.

He leaned over her (She was still as short as she was in highschool) and pulled out a pair of black jeans and a red halterneck. He then looked at her uncertainly and removed the straps from a spare bra before handing her it. He headed towards the door.  
"Where're you going?" She demanded.  
"You're getting dressed."  
"So, you've seen it all before Chase." He realised he had indeed. He sat on the bed. He wanted to look but he daren't. He was already still hopelessly in love with her, if his thoughts became corrupted he knew he'd never see straight. "I've been thinking... welleither way it's not fair. One of us isn't going to see him..."  
"What about moving in with me?" He suggested suddenly.  
"Dylan already gets shipped between homes enough Chase I'm not having him move in with you so..."  
"No BOTH of you. You and Dylan. That way we can both see him?" He asked.  
"Chase we both know that's a bad idea."  
"Well how about moving close then?" He questioned. She clicked her teeth disapprovingly. "What?"  
"Chase, I can BARELY affordthis place nevermind somewhere up your side of town! And don't you dare say you'll pay." She said noticing he opened his mouth. He hurriedly closed it.

There was a long silence and he assumed she was dressed. He raised his head to find she was in the jeans and bra but had not yet put on her top. She was staring at her reflection, her hands around her waist, prodding at her tummy.  
"Chase?" She asked soflty, seeing he was looking. "Was she thinner than me?"  
"Who?" He asked. She turned and glared at him. "Oh uh... I don't know."  
"Whatta ya mean you don't know?"  
"I mean I don't know."  
"Surely you LOOKED at her while you knocked her up." She hissed. Zoey had always believed that the bundle that had arrived with Loose Lacy belonged in part to her husband, much as Chase argued.  
"I already told you that kid isn't mine!" He protested sadly. She sighed heftily.

"Just answer the question." She ordered.  
"I told you! I _don't know._" He stressed the words.  
"You're just saying that coz she was." She huffed.  
"Zoey I don't know what you think happened that night..."  
"I think my husband slept with an underage girl." She snapped.  
"Ok. But you don't know HOW it happened."  
"I don't wanna hear every scream." She begged him suddenly losing her tough and angry attitude.  
"That's not how it was Zo. You think it was some romantic fling... that I kissed her neck and told her I was madly in love with her and wanted to do inappropriate infidelitious things with her...That's NOT anything like what happened." Zoey was crying again. He hated making her cry but he wanted her to know the truth. "It wasn't romantic Zo it wasn't even fun."  
"Glad you threw it away over something worthwhile then." She snapped.

He could see the hurt in her eyes growing with every word he spoke.  
"I met her in town. She lived on our street so we walked down together... she staged the whole thing Zo. She tripped and fell. Twisted her ankle. So I helped her home but her parents weren't in. We sat down on the sofa then her ankle miraculously heeled." Chase sighed. He felt guilty retelling this story. "She just climbed on me Zo..."  
"And you didn't tell her no?"  
"I did! I told her I loved my wife more than anything in the world and that I didn't want to hurt you..." He said honestly.  
"But you slept with her anyway." She mumbled. Chase sighed and stared up at her. She still had not put on her shirt but his attention was only on her eyes.  
"Can I finish the story?" He asked. She sighed. "I pushed her away. I told her I was way too old for her, that I was married, and basically that she was way wrong. I got all the way to the door Zo... then she did it I couldn't help it..."  
"Did what?" Zoey asked, sitting down beside him.  
"She started crying." Chase whispered, his voice breaking. "You KNOW I can't take it when girls cry. She just started sobbing and saying over and over to herself 'I'm such a loser'." Zoey bit her bottom lip realising how hard it must've been.

"So I caved. I turned round and sat beside her and told her she wasn't a loser. Told her she could make something of herself. Tried to boost her confidence. I told her everything teenage girls wanna hear but looking back I suppose that was the wrong thing to do."  
"Told her what?"  
"I told her that she was smart and pretty and that any guy would be lucky to have her, just not me. Told her she could get anything she wanted if she tried hard enough," He sighed. "She lay her head on my shoulder and cried Zo..." He whispered. She could hear the pain in his voice. "For around 7 minutes she just cried and cried. Then she straightened up." Zoey knew it had to come soon. She wasn't sure if she was ready to hear it.  
"I..."  
"Don't interupt. She said 'you said I can get anything I want if I want it enough right' so I nodded. She nodded. 'Thanks for talking to me Chase' then she kissed my cheek. I was all set to leave right then Zo I swear it! I wanted to go home and cuddled you and tell you how lucky I was to have you... But after she kissed my cheek she bent down and kissed my neck. I told her no..." He didn't know if he should continue knowing this was the part of the story where he had failed his wife enourmously. "She just, she... I dunno Zo she pushed me down and... I just sorta went with it... but I hated myself the whole time." His voice completely broke. "I'm sorry."  
"S'in the past." She whispered. "It doesn't matter how it happened, it just happened. We both have to live with that." Zoey said although she had to admit feelings for her former husband were surfacing.

She wiped her eyes and stood up gently. He bit his lip and looked up at her.  
"I really... really am sorry Zoey." She nodded and smiled weakly.  
"I know you are." She whispered, nodding. He stared at her for a moment, standing infront of him crying. He hated it when she cried.  
"C'mere Zo." He mumbled extending his arms. She closed the distance and leaned in on him. He enveloped her gently. For a long time they just stayed like that, half sat on the bed, just cuddling. That was when Dylan walked in.  
"Woah!" He squawked seeing his mom half dressed in his fathers arms. Chase quickly let go of Zoey  
"Dylan don't..."  
"This is so awesome. On my birthday too. I'm gonna go make you two lovebirds breakfast... you stay here." Dylan was beaming from ear to ear and he scuttled from the room.  
"I'd better go tell him." Zoey said.  
"Zoey it's his birthday!" Chase said horrified.  
"He thinks we're back together." Zoey cried, pulling her halter top on.  
"And if we tell him today Zo it'll crush him... we'll tell him tomorrow ok." Chase said, not able to bring himself to hurt his son today. "We'll just have to... we'll have to be married today is all." He said gently. She sighed heftily and nodded.  
"Ok... JUST for today." She agreed reluctantly.

* * *

Diamond arrived home for the week to find the house in chaos. Angel kept bursting intoi tears, Logan was at a loss as to how to cook and clean (as the girls wouldn't let him choose their new maid), and Midnight was being brattier than ever. Her daughters weren't talking and her maid had been fired.  
"I LEAVE YOU FOR FIVE MINUTES!" She screamed at her husband.  
"FIVE MINUTES YOU'VE LEFT THEM WITH ME FOR 15 YEARS!" he yelled back. "YOU'RE NEVER HERE!"  
"I AM TOO."  
"YOU DAUGHTER'S DON'T KNOW WHO THE HELL YOU ARE CRUZ!" Diamond smacked him causing the girls to jump  
"Never... EVER call me that again."She hissed. Shedidn't mind the occasional 'Dana' when it was just the two of them but 'Cruz' was what he called her back in the dayswhen he had hated her. And her daughters had never been told that story.There was a resonating silence in which everyone bit their lip.  
"Don't forget where you came from." Logan hissed at his wife, before leaving the room. Diamond was nearly in tears. Angel stood up and hugged her mom tight, it was then Diamond started to cry. Outside the room Logan placed his forehead against the wall.

"You two deserve each other." Midnight snapped, stalking past her father and up the stairs.

A/n: Awww. Feel sorry for Chase people!


End file.
